Product Description:Solo solutions is a 3-step guideline for the electric guitar player who intends to develop his solo skills. While the 1st step explains different playing techniques and stylistic devices, the 2nd step is dealing with lead guitar related music theory and scales. The 3rd step combines the two first chapters with countless examples and suggestions on developing your own style. This book features an exclusive hands-on approach, which makes it a great learning tool and a must for the modern guitar player.

Format: Book/CD Set

132 PAGES

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simplerAlbert Einstein

PREFACEHey there:Here‘s a new guitar book. About ...- how to become faster than lightning in three weeks?- alterations for youngsters??- 62.738.857.937.768 essential scales for beginners???- ????Nope. The title already implies, that this course exclusively covers the solo guitar. Itcontains suggestions and strategies to help the reader develop "his own, individualstyle". On our way to individual artistic expression we will cover all the main aspectsof lead guitar playing. I will show you how to create an individual style and be a bettermusician on the instrument, by understanding music in global terms.What‘s new about this is an extensive analysis of what you do and don‘t need inorder to avoid being overloaded by the amount of topics. All the concepts arealways illustrated with examples, so there‘s no dry and impractical theory betweenyourself and your guitar.Many of us seem to be caught in a vicious circle; lost somewhere between not satisfiedwith our playing on the one hand and "too much theory" on the other. Someplayers seem to accept the fact that less and less people can follow them musically(meaning: willing to listen), when they think that learning more scales and moretechnical chops makes us musically successful.If you work with this book, you will be able to avoid many of these learning mistakes.Further, advanced players will be shown new approaches and suggestions in STEP 3"Projects". The first two steps of the book will be helpful, in order to manifest thetechnical background most "advanced players" will already have.Less advanced players can use the Inventories of the first two steps to learn andcomplete their technical knowledge and then, in STEP 3, lay the groundwork for individualand inspired soloing with Projects. This book works both ways: as a guideline

- 3 -CONTENTSHow this Book Works ......................................................... 5Your Own, Individual Style .............................................. 5STEP 1 Playing Technique Inventory 7m Left Hand ....................................................................... 9m Right Hand ..................................................18m Special Effects ....................................................... 29STEP 2 Music Theory Inventory 33m The Fretboard ........................................................... 36m Major and Minor Scales ................................................ 37m Major and Minor Pentatonics ......................................... 44m Intervals / Double Stops ................................... 50m Modes .........................................................................54STEP 3 Projects 61m How to Practice ........................................................... 63m Articulation ....................................................................... 66I. Minimalism ............................................................... 68II. Playing Phrases ....................................................... 74III. More Technique ........................................................ 88m Solo Structure ................................................. 101m Improvisation ............................................................... 110m Sounds ..................................................................... 117m Transposing ........................................................... 119APPENDIX 127About the CD ............................................................ 128Conclusion................................................................. 130Thanks to ............................................... 131- 4 -How this Book WorksSolo Solutions contains a "Playing Technique Inventory", as well as a "Music TheoryInventory" and features an exclusive plan, designed to enhance the guitarist‘sartistic expression. It is not about boring the reader with scales and runs that havebeen explained a million times before. It aims to show you how to round off whatyou know already, and turn it into music. This book is for the medium advanced tovery advanced musician, who‘s willing to take a major step towards a recognizableand individual style.Moreover in STEP 3, "Projects", there are specific exercises helping your own creativityto flourish.The book is divided up into three steps. The first step, “Playing Technique Inventory”,deals with various aspects of the technical side of soloing. We will look at theright hand and left hand separately, in order to detect possible weaknesses directlyat the source.In STEP 2, "Music Theory Inventory", I will give an overview of the most importantaspects of music theory. This chapter focuses on topics that are both practical andnecessary musically.The third step, "Projects", is the largest one and deals with specific playing situations,combining the "Inventories" with easy to follow, real-life exercises. While"Playing Phrases" talks about playing single phrases and the principle of short melodylines, in "Solo Structure" you get to arrange a full length solo. Finally, "Improvisation"gives you practical hints to make your playing more musical.Consequently, and step by step, Solo Solutions leads the studying guitarist fromsmall musical pieces and isolated technical analysis towards creating his/her own,individual solo. Still, the book respects the preferences and taste of the student. It‘snot about telling you what to do and what not to do, but about giving answers andhelping you find your own, individual style.Your "Own, Individual Style"Many guitarists like to play leads and, as a natural consequence, learn an enormousamount of solos by other players, and familiarize themselves with many differentplaying techniques. This works well, and all their friends and family can‘t stop beingstunned by how "you can play just like ...".But, if you think of music or musicians as something like the rather scary word "art"or "artist", it becomes evident that copying or only playing chunks of technical exercisesin a row cannot be satisfying.- 5 -CD 1 Solo Solutions Welcome TrackYour "own, individual style" - What exactly is that?With some guitarists, it‘s easy to tell who they are after only hearing three secondsof their playing. This special "voice" decides not only how recognizable one‘s styleis, but also whether one likes a player or not. You cannot like someone you don‘trecognize, right? This is not so much about playing technique, as about articulation,note choice and musical "powers of persuasion".The more characteristic a voice is, the more recognizable it is, which drasticallyeffects a musician‘s or band‘s success. Guitarists with a very distinctive style (meaningvery recognizable) are for example: Brian May, Steve Vai, Keith Richards, GaryMoore, Eddie van Halen, Steve Lukather, Neil Schon, Mark Knopfler ...Many of these players are successful, but not because of their playing technique.Technique seems to be more like a tool for them to get to their own, individual style.Can you learn this?Yes, but you will have to tackle your own playing. You have to learn to listen to yourown playing and first make some sort of "inventory" and find out for yourself: whatdo I know already, where do I want to go with my playing and what will I have tolearn to get there. On the practical side, there are specific exercises that help preventcommon problems.At the same time, you should think about sound, tonal versatility and tempo inimprovisations. The structure and length of composed solos are other important factors.In order to attract and keep the listener‘s attention, you have to follow somesort of "tension curve". Make sure you walk the fine line between consonance (simplicity,or "harmony") and dissonance (complexity, or "chaos").My three-step plan aims to make the guitarist a better musician and give answers toquestions like "why is my playing not really improving?", "when I am playing,everything always sounds the same" or, "what do I need, in order to sound moreindividual?". In fact, these questions alone form a tremendous part of our musicalproblems, and seem to keep us from progressing.Most of us definitely do not need more technical exercises, licks and tricks. We alsohave enough transcriptions of popular solos. Consequently, we should start makingdecisions about how we want to sound ourselves and how we want to sound differentfrom other players. This will also be just a transitional stage, at the end of whichour playing will intuitively sound individual and recognizable. Let‘s tune first...- 6 -CD 2 Tuning notes- 128 -CD TRACKSAPPENDIXTrack 1: Solo Solutions / WelcomeTrack 2: Tuning NotesStep 1Track 3: Hammer-On / Pull-Off ITrack 4: Hammer-On / Pull-Off IITrack 5: SlidesTrack 6: BendingTrack 7: 3 Half Step BendsTrack 8: Pre BendTrack 9: Chord Tone BendsTrack 10: FlageoletTrack 11: Double StopsTrack 12: Double Stop BendsTrack 13: Eighth NotesTrack 14: 16 Sixteenth Note CombinationsTrack 15: Sixteenth Note ExampleTrack 16: TripletsTrack 17: Sixtuplet LickTrack 18: Sweep PickingTrack 19: Mini SweepTrack 20: String Skipping ITrack 21: String Skipping IITrack 22: Palm MuteTrack 23: Finger PickingTrack 24: One-Note TappingTrack 25: Bend Slide BendTrack 26: Bend Release AlternativeTrack 27: Open StringsTrack 28: Bend and Half ToneTrack 29: Volume SwellStep 2Track 30: Sequences: Groups of fourTrack 31: Sequences: In thirdsTrack 32: Sequences: Groups of threeTrack 33: Pentatonics: Groups of four (asc.)Track 34: Pentatonics: Groups of four (desc.)Track 35: Pentatonics: Groups of three (asc.)Track 36: Pentatonics: Groups of three (desc.)Track 37: PLAYALONG TRACK: Major BluesTrack 38: PLAYALONG TRACK: Minor BluesTrack 39: Double StopsTrack 40: PLAYALONG TRACK: DorianTrack 41: PLAYALONG TRACK: PhrygianTrack 42: PLAYALONG TRACK: Spanish PhrygianTrack 43: PLAYALONG TRACK: LydianTrack 44: PLAYALONG TRACK: MixolydianTrack 45: PLAYALONG TRACK: THE PROGRESSIONStep 3Track 46: One Note Per BarTrack 47: ONPB feat. Rhythmic AccentsTrack 48: Varying Chord TonesTrack 49: Chord Tones (Bending Notes)Track 50: Melodic sequencing ITrack 51: Melodic sequencing IITrack 52: Melodic sequencing IIITrack 53: Melodic sequencing IVTrack 54: One Bar Repetition ITrack 55: One Bar Repetition IITrack 56: One Bar Repetition IIITrack 57: Two Bar RepetitionTrack 58: Question & AnswerTrack 59: Q&A/Blues ClicheTrack 60: Rhythmic Articulation ITrack 61: Shifting RhythmsTrack 62: Rhythmic Articulation IITrack 63: Repeating Uneven PhrasesTrack 64: RestsTrack 65: Exercise/Quarter Note TripletTrack 66: Quarter-Note Triplet Ex. ITrack 67: Quarter-Note Triplet Ex. IITrack 68: Sixteenth Note Ideas ITrack 69: Sixteenth Note Ideas IITrack 70: Pedal Tones ITrack 71: Pedal Tones IITrack 72: Playing Fast/SixtupletsTrack 73: Three-Notes-Per-String Scales (asc.)Track 74: Three-Notes-Per-String Scales (des.)Track 75: Sixteenth Note/Sixtuplet ExerciseTrack 76: Technical Sequences ITrack 77: Technical Sequences IITrack 78: Technical Sequences IIITrack 79: Technical Sequences ExampleTrack 80: PLAYALONG TRACK: Progression 1Track 81: PLAYALONG TRACK: Progression 2Track 82: PLAYALONG TRACK: Solo Progression 1Track 83: Solo Progression 1 / Solution ChrisTrack 84: PLAYALONG TRACK: Solo Progression 2Track 85: PLAYALONG TRACK: Improv. Progression 1Track 86: PLAYALONG TRACK: Improv. Progression 2Track 87: Bored Beyond Belief

Spice up your playing with The Guitar Cookbook! Written by Guitar Player magazine music editor Jesse Gress, this collection of "recipes" for satisfying a wide variety of musical appetites is for beginning to advanced guitarists. It covers all the ingredients for cooking up great music on the guitar: music notation, tuning, intonation, rhythm, melody, scales, motifs, harmony, ear-training, technique, improvisation and much more. Players will develop a personalized musical vocabulary; learn how to apply it to many different styles; master basic guitar techniques; and let the musical ideas sizzle! 246 pages.

Let the mosh begin! Learn the techniques and principles used by today's heaviest bands including Metallica, Anthrax, Testament, and others. This truly radical method book takes you from slow grinding metal up to the fastest thrashing. Syncopation, shifting accents, thrash theory, progressions, chromatic 'ear-twisting ' melodic dissonances, shifting time signatures, harmony, and more. CD features bull band accompaniment for all musical examples so that you can play along with the band. Fully transcribed in tablature! 64 pages

Total Rock Guitar is a unique and comprehensive source for learning rock guitar, designed to develop both lead and rhythm playing. This book/CD pack covers: getting a tone that rocks; open chords, power chords and barre chords; riffs, scales and licks; string bending, strumming, palm muting, harmonics and alternate picking; all rock styles; and much more. The examples in the book are in standard notation with chord grids and tablature, and the CD includes full-band backing for all 22 songs. 96 pages.

Product Description:The goal of this book is to promote rhythmically and harmonically challenging phrases and licks in order to give you an authentic inside view on seven selected styles. Live or in a recording session, playing rhythm is the guitarist's main duty. This makes it even harder to understand why most guitarists' rhythm work (frankly) sounds rather unrehearsed and colorless. Especially since working with drum machines and samplers has become a vital part of musical performance, a good sense of rhythm, and some cool licks may just be your "key to success."

You could improve your rhythmical abilities with some simple methods:- Please stop practicing rhythm-playing without a metronome!This unstable ''do-it-yourself-groove" will get you nowhere. Use yourtime more effectively: you haven't got enough of it anyway (or doesyour girlfriend (boyfriend) have 17 favorite hobbies?).

- Set your metronome (please do not use manual ones) so that it clickson beats 2 and 4. You are emphasizing beats 1 and 3 yourself. Place apiece of cardboard under your foot and tap the clicks of the metronome.If you can't detect the metronome's click anymore, that's a signthat you're playing "in time". Isn't it simple to produce a feeling of success?

It is extremely important to be totally Jltight". But there are also situationsin which a more Jllaid back" feeling is more appropriate. It is my guessthat most of you play more ahead of the beat" than ''laid back"!Your adrenaline takes care of this and mostly you can't help it. That's whyyou should also practice playing ''laid back":Tap your foot a little ''behind" the beat.

- Dynamics! Do yourselves a favor and watch your dynamics while playing.Imagine talking monotonously, without constantly raising or loweringyour voice. Would this sound very passionate? Well that's how youwill sound if you do not make dynamics a part of your playing.

- Most of the time, a bass or keyboard player will accompany you. Forthis reason, it's better to avoid ''root" voicings whose highest andlowest notes get in your fellow musicians' way. They will do everythingfor you if you avoid clashing with them on every other voicing (remember:you might need some extra hands next time you're moving).It doesn't matter what you're playing. It's HOW you play it!- Not 150 notes per second will do the trick, but the ''attitude" and feelbehind the notes.- Being 120% convinced of what you're playing makes the difference(often referred to as ''tone").